After the War
by Elizabeth Alyson
Summary: After the Last War, Hermione finds it difficult to smoothly re-enter wizarding society, and finds herself working with an old friend and enemy. Will Draco or HArry win the girl?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything that isn't mine.**

A/N: This bit is a tad serious, just some background information etc. It is also very short, and future chapters will be longer and more lighthearted. Please Review! (the 's mark the beginning of a paragraph as there are some problems with formatting on this computer, sorry guys!)

**Prologue**

The Last War was over. After years of harsh battle, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had

finally been defeated. Although the "good" had won, it was not without sacrifice. Muggleborn

witches and wizards, as the target of Lord Voldemort's reign of terror, were forced into hiding

to avoid his sweeping purges. Those who were not caught and killed lived in constant fear of

being given away by traitors to their cause. Hermione Granger, among others, spent long years

creeping from cover to cover with the help of the Order of the Phoenix.

It is in this way that three best friends grew apart. Hermione struggled with hiding, unable to

help those she loved most, especially when she learned of the death of Ron Weasley, who died

in battle with a Death Eater, who died of injuries afterwards. Harry Potter had been hidden

away, closely guarded, until it became time for the final battle. To everyone's amazement, it had

been Draco Malfoy who had organized the meeting for the battle. For years, he had been

working secretly for the Order, passing information gathered from his family to Dumbledore.

Now it was time for the Muggleborns to re-emerge into society. For 25-year-old Hermione

Granger, this presented opportunities and problems. It felt strange to walk around in the sunlight,

to not have people guarding her wherever she went. With money lent to her by the Order,

Hermione rented a small flat, furnishing it sparsly with cheap, unfinished pine chairs, a dresser,

round table, and desk. An old mattress sagged sadly in the corner on the floor, covered with

cheap white linen sheets. The apartment was small and smelled of damp, but Hermione gladly

cleaned this place she could finally call home, and artistically hung pretty fabrics on the walls to

cover brown water spots and patched of unfaded paint. She opened all her windows and cast a

charm to help lessen the musty smell of the dank little room, and folded her few clothes neatly

into their drawers.

Hermione was not one to be beholden to anyone, not ever her friends in the Order. So,

dressing in her best robes, which were faded, patched, hopelessly outdated, but clean, and

smoothing her long, brown, uncontrollable hair as best she could, the brightest witch of her age

set out to find a job. She was sure she could find someone who needed her.


	2. Chapter One

A/N Once again, the ;;; symbolizes the beginning of a paragraph...i apologize for it.

**Chapter One**

;;;Hermione nervously entered the small shop. Her feet hurt, and her brain was frazzled. It

seemed no one in London wanted her to work for them.

;;;"Go away. We're not open for business yet," came a sharp command from the shadow

depths of the shop.

;;;"I..." Hermione faltered, before pulling herself together, "I don't want to buy anything. I'm just

looking for a job."

;;;The sound of rustling came from the back room, and after several moments, a slim man with

greasy hair, clad in black robes to which flake of dandruff stuck, shuffled out of the door to the

back room.

;;;"You. Want. A job?" he spat distastefully. "And what makes you think I need an employee?"

;;;Hermione thought quickly. "Well sir, I was noticing you have no one working the counter and

I thought maybe you'd like some help. I'm very good at organizing and I could even set a nice

display and-"

;;;"Do be quiet, girl," the man said testily, watching her carefully.

;;;Hermione stared back at the man, whose mean little eyes slowly took her in. At last, he

nodded, and said, "Very well. You start now."

;;;"Oh thank you sir, you don't know how much-"

;;;"I would prefer that you not talk," he said irratibly, as he shuffled to the door and flipped the

sign to open. "Now, why don't you come in the back room with me and I'll show you where

everything is kept."

;;;;;;----;;;;;;

;;;Kevin Whitby, the shop owner, watched Hermione touch the soft fabrics. She was young,

maybe 25, although her large brown eyes made her seem younger. There was a sort of naivety

about her as she ran her hands over the soft fabrics that he sold. In her right hand was a length

of gauzy silk that shimmered like liquid catching the sunlight. Her own robes, he noticed in the

dim light, were a faded navy blue, patched with the same material, but less faded, resulting in

splotches of vivid color on her tired clothing. Her hair was messy, long and curly, pulled back

into a pony tail at the base of her neck. She was a small woman, around five foot three, with a

petite structure. Her skin was pale, and her face had a quiet, sad expression. She as not

beautiful, but her features were even and her upper lip had a small dimple. With a smirk, Kevin

walked towards his new employee and put a gnarled, waxy hand on her shoulder.

;;;;;;------;;;;;;

;;;Harry Potter, accomplished Auror, strode into the dingy fabric shop, his green eyes bright,

and his cheeks flushed from the walk there. This was his second time in this shop, where he had

ordered lengths of velvet for his partner, sometimes mistress, Ginny Weasley.

;;;"Whitby! Whitby! Get out here, I want to talk to you about-"he was cut off as a slight figure in

patched robes barreled out of the back room, sobbing. He caught her in his arms to keep her

from falling and held her out at arm's length.

;;;"What's the matter?" he asked softly. There was something familiar about the tear streaked

cheeks that were turned up toward his face.

"I...he...oh..." Hermione choked out miserably.

"Well, don't cry, it wont help any..." Harry trailed off, "Hermione?!"

Hermione did a double take, "Harry?" she breathed.

"What are you doing here?" the two exclaimed.

;;;"DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO GET OUT-"yelled Kevin Whitby, before stopping abrubtly,

"Oh, hello Mr. Potter, I didn't see you come in. Just having a little, er, trouble with the help. You

know how it is..." he finished nervously.

;;;Harry regarded him coolly. "I regret to inform you that this help no longer works here. And as

for this order," he fished a slip of paper out of his pocket, "it no longer exists."

;;;He tapped the paper lightly with his wand, and Kevin watched in disbelief as the ashes of

Harry's order drifted to the dirty floor of his shop. Harry reached for Hermione's hand and

pulled her out of the shop.

"He didn't hurt you did he?" he asked her with concern.

;;;When Hermione shook her head mutely, he turned to her and said, "I'll get you a job, Herms.

Now that I've found you, I wont let you go again."


	3. Chapter Two

**kyo kun:** haha i love draco too!

A/N: please review!

**Chapter Two**

;;;Draco Malfoy slammed shut the thick leather volume he had been pouring through, causing

Lee Jordan, his partner, to look up at the hardened face of the blonde man sitting across from

him.

;;;Draco Malfoy stood at six foot even, an imposing figure. His wide shoulders tapered to a

small waist, and he stood straight, his spine like an iron rod. His face had hardened after the

War, losing his boyish looks. He had a square chin and his jaw was set in an almost defiant line.

His eyes, icy blue, had small tired lines around the edges, making him appear older than his 25

years, but on the rare occasions that he smiled, they crinkled wonderfully at and his eyes

sparkled. His blonde hair fell loosely around his face, and his nose was straight and well shaped.

While he had not suffered bodily injury in the War, it had left him embittered and constantly

moody.

;;;"What's the matter?" Lee asked briskly.

;;;"I'm quitting," Draco said, shoveling papers into an envelope. The Minister of Magic, Seamus

Finnegan, had just stormed out, after berating Draco on the poor quality of his report on the

reintegration of Muggleborns into wizarding society.

;;;"Draco, you can't quit, you have no where else to go," Lee stated reasonably, scratching

away at a bit of parchment bracing himself for Draco's inevitable temper tantrum. When it didn't

come, he looked up from his parchment to see Draco staring at the door. He turned slowly to

see a small brown haired witch in faded robes standing in the doorway.

;;;"Excuse me, I'm afraid I'm a bit lost. Could someone direct me to the office of Mr. Harry

Potter?" the woman said softly.

;;;Draco's eyes took on a metallic glint. "Ah, another of the famous Potter's admirers. Well, Mr.

Potter is not seeing visitors. He has more important things to do than sign autographs."

;;;Lee's glare stopped Draco from saying more, and he stood up swiftly. Please excuse my

partner, Miss, he's in a rather foul mood today," Lee smiled. "Now, what can I do for you,

Miss..."

;;;"Granger." Hermione finished, "Hermione Granger."

;;;Lee's jaw dropped. "Hermione? You're alive?! It's me, Lee Jordan, remember?"

;;;Hermione's face brightened with a grin of recognition and delight, and she shook the hand Lee

offered her, not noticing the tall blonde that now stood behind him.

;;;"Pardon the interruption, I must turn these papers in," came the cool drawl of...Draco

Malfoy?! Hermione's eyes widened as they followed Draco's retreating form, but she soon

turned back to Lee, who offered her a chair. She took it and began to talk to her old friend.

;;;;;;------;;;;;;

;;;Draco stopped outside the doorway of his office. Imagine, the brilliant Hermione Granger

reduced to the tiny, timid witch that had stood in front of him. Her soft voice caught his ear, and

something in his heart, as he stood outside the door.

;;;"...the Order brought me out of hiding two weeks ago, and with money borrowed from them,

I rented a flat, but of course I don't want to owe them money, so I left my flat yesterday and

went to look for a job, which I got in a small fabric store. That's where Harry found me. He

offered me a job, and told me to come to him here, so here I am!" she finished animatedly.

;;;Draco stepped into the office and said coolly, "Miss Granger, I suggest that you go home. I

doubt Potter will find a place for you here." He struggled to keep his tone cool and disinterested

as he looked into the face of this witch who has suffered so much because of his father.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

;;;"Lorena, where is Ginny?" Harry asked his secretary absently, ruffling his messy black-brown

hair with his left hand.

;;;"Ms. Weasley is out to lunch Mr. Potter," she replied briskly, her eyes moving back and forth

quickly as she skimmed a Ministry document.

_;;;So, Ginny is out to lunch...I wonder who I should eat with_, Harry wondered idly, _There is _

_that attractive Muggle Studies employee...what was her name? Oh yea, Lavender Brown. _

_She's changed so much. Still, she always was a good looking girl._

;;;Harry was startlyed out of his thoughts by a tap on the shoulder, and he turned around to see

Hermione laughing up at him, her head tilted to one side. Her dark eyes glinted mischievously,

and he was struck by how pretty she was when she smiled up at him like that.

;;;"Hermione! Just the girl I was looking for!" He exclaimed. "Do come to lunch with me!"

;;;"Oh, I don't know Harry, I just came to see about the job," she said.

;;;"Of course Herms, the job. We'll see to that of course, but I insist that you come to lunch with

me. My treat, of course, I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't treat such a stunning girl as

yourself to lunch!" Harry beamed.

_;;;Wow, Harry has changed. He's so self confident and suave...and he's flirting with me!_

Hermione thought, and with a giggle, she accepted the arm that Harry offered her, gliding out of

the office.

;;;Harry smiled to see his old friend looking so happy, and he waved jovially to the Minister of

Magic, who they passed on their way out.

;;;;;;------;;;;;;

;;;"Harry! Harry Potter! Where—Oh, hello Lorena. Where is Harry?" Ginny asked the mousy

looking secretary, pushing her fiery red hair, cut in a short bob, out of her eyes. Ginny was tall,

at 5'8, and slim. Her blue eyes snapped with electricity and life, and her smile was almost

always ready, except for times like this one, when she couldn't find Harry.

;;;"Mr. Potter is out to lunch," Lorena replied nervously.

;;;"With a friend?" Ginny asked suspiciously, to which Lorena nodded in return.

;;;"A nice, male friend?" she queried, and when Lorena shook her head, bracing herself, Ginny

exploded.

;;;"Why that dirty, low down, good-for-nothing RAT!" Ginny stormed, turning on her heel, and

almost running into the tall form of Seamus Finnegan, Minister of Magic.

;;;"Ginny! How pleasant to see you!" he exclaimed, noting the stormy look on her pretty face.

;;;"Pleasant my arse! That dirty, scummy, two-timing—"

;;;"Ginny, please, why don't you step into my office for a drink," Seamus interrupted smoothly.

;;;"I don't need a drink Seamus, what I need is to get my hands on that low-down...oh, alright,

I'll have a drink," she finished with a sigh.

;;;Seamus poured Ginny and himself tumblers of Firewhiskey and sat down across the table

from his friend.

;;;"Now Ginny, tell me what's the matter," he said soothingly.

;;;"Harry."

;;;"Ah, I see. What has he been up to?" Seamus questioned, readying himself for an outpouring

of emotion.

;;;"He's a two-timing rat! He's out to lunch and I know who he's with! That smutty Lavendar

Brown! He's been seeing her behind me back and thinks he can get away with it. Well," Ginny

huffed, taking a swig of her drink," if he thinks he can hide this, he's got another thing coming to

him! I know how he acts when he's been cheating on me, innocent as a babe. But right now

he's running around our flat, straightening cushions, casting spells to rid the air of her smell,

checking to make sure there are no signs of her. But I'll know she's been there. You know how

I'll know?" Ginny paused for breath.

;;;"How will you know?" Seamus replied, amused, as he sipped his drink.

;;;"That bastard will be humming!" she fumed, "And you know what? Tonight, oh I'd say around

midnight, he'll be after me with a loud impassioned moan. And you know what I'd love to do?

Bloody hell, I'll do it! I'll walk out on him! I'll slam that door and go out, get drunk, fool around

with some bloke. And when I get home, I wont say a thing. But you can be damned sure I'll be

humming!" Ginny finished vehemently, draining the dregs of her Firewhiskey.

;;;At that moment, Harry popped his head through the door.

;;;"Seamus! I was looking for you! I need a favor. You see, a friend of mine, well, she needs a

job and-"

;;;"What friend, Harry?" Ginny purred

;;;"Ginny? I didn't see you there, I thought you were out to lunch," Harry spluttered

;;;"I got back, _dear_, now, what friend?"

;;;"A friend who badly needs a job, Gin, of course, if that upsets you..."

;;;"Of course it doesn't upset me. There's plenty for her to do. She can wash windows. With

her tongue!" Ginny exclaimed angrily

;;;"What?!" said Seamus to Ginny with an odd look. Ginny continued to glower. Turning to

Harry, he said, "Now, where is this friend?"

;;;Ginny made a noise of disgust, and said to Harry, "Get her a job, lover, it doesn't bother me a

bit. You know why? Because I have a proposal of marriage from a mediwiard!" And with that,

she spun on her heel, leaving a bemused Harry looking after her.

;;;"She's been going on about that mediwizard for months now," he said to Seamus with a

chuckle. "I'll leave you to meet my friend," and with that, stepped out of the office.


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

;;;Seamus opened the door and peered out into the waiting area. A small, drab creature was

perched on one of the large leather chairs. As she looked at him, her large brown eyes became

even wider and she said in disbelief,

;;;"Seamus?!" When Seamus continued to look at her in befuddlement, she exclaimed, "Seamus!

It's me, Hermione!"

;;;Seamus' jaw dropped. Hermione Granger, here, alive?! It seemed impossible. No one had

heard from her in years. Gathering his composure, he greeted her warmly and invited her into the

office.

;;;"Harry says you are in need of a job?" he queried. When she nodded vigorously, he

continued, "Well, I'm sure we can find a place for an old Gryffindor chum, Hermione. Let me

think," he paused for a moment, "Ah! Yes, why didn't I think of it right away? You will work as

Harry's assistant."

;;;;;;------;;;;;;

;;;Hermione stepped out of the office, dazed, a happy smile on her face. It seemed too good to

be true. Not only did she have a job-a well paying job-but she was going to work with Harry!

She didn't even notice the stack of papers walking towards her down the hallway until the

collided. Stuttering apologies, Hermione scrambled to help pick up the papers. When the

majority of the papers were haphazardously stacked, she looked up into the reddened face of

an attractive young witch with hazel eyes and dirty blonde hair, which looked dyed. Hermione

could have sworn she was looking at—

;;;"Hermione Granger?!" Lavender Brown squealed, dropping the paper in her hand onto the

pile before grabbing the much shorter witch and hugging her. "I heard you were here, but I

couldn't believe it! It's really you, oh Herms, how are you?"

;;;Hermione smiled at her old school friend, "I work here now!" she exclaimed.

;;;"Oh, how wonderful!"

;;;"Lav, I can barely believe it. It seems just yesterday that I was in hiding, but it's been two

weeks, and it was sheer luck that I ran into Harry the other day, oh I can't believe it! I just have

to pinch myself to be sure it's all really happening. I'm so happy and excited to finally be doing

something after all these years!" Hermione chattered.

;;;"Dear, how lovely. Well, I really must run these papers to the Head of Muggle Studies, but

here comes Harry now," Lavender said smoothly before taking out her wand and floating the

messy stack of papers down the hallway.

;;;;;;------;;;;;;

;;;Draco stopped, about to turn the corner of the hallway, when he heard the voices of

Hermione Granger and Harry Potter issuing from around the corner. _What a superb _

_opportunity to eavesdrop_ he thought idly, pulling out his wand and muttering, "_Invisiblis_." As

he looked at his hands, the slowly faded in color, became transparent, and then invisible. He

stepped around the corner in time to hear Hermione speaking.

;;;"...and then he gave me a job-as your assistant!" she exclaimed with a happy laugh.

;;;"Herms, how great! I can't wait to work with you," he said, a slight blush creeping over his

face as Hermione gazed at him intently.

_;;;Hmm...Potter seems to have a bit of a crush on Ms. Granger. Admittedly, I can see _

_why. Despite her shabby looks, there is something attractive about the...earnest look?...on _

_her face_ Draco thought, the shook his head quickly. Had he really just been thinking that

Hermione was attractive?

;;;"...how can I ever thank you?"

;;;"Don't thank me Hermione, its me that ought to be thanking you. Now, I'll give you the rest of

the day off my dear, but be here bright and early tomorrow," and with that, Harry bent down

and kissed Hermione on the cheek. He backed away, smiling sheepishly.

;;;Draco did not even notice that his hands had balled tightly into fists.


	6. Chapter Five and Six

Chapter Five

;;;"Finnegan gave her a job with Potter," Draco said to Lee moodily.

;;;"How wonderful for Hermione."

;;;"How convenient for our sainted Potter," Draco replied nastily.

;;;"Draco. Honestly. Harry and Hermione were best friends, give him some credit. Even though

it often seems like it, Harry does not shag every female he meets." Lee replied briskly.

;;;"He wants this one," Draco fumed.

;;;With a sigh, Lee replied, "That is a complete load of bloody-"

;;;" I don't want to talk about it!" Draco shouted, startling both himself and his partner. Coloring

slightly, he sat at his desk, and said, "If you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

;;;Draco watched as his cheerful partner shook his head, turn, and wlak out of the office. As he

watched Lee's retreating form, Draco thought, _Why can't I be kind like Lee? Even if it were _

_fake, would people like me better then? It's just that...the war...everything happened, and _

_while I'm glad we won, I have to live with the fact that my childhood friend died because _

_of me, that my parents died hating me, tha tI don't have a friend in the world. I'm tired of _

_not having friends, people to talk to. I think I need to smile more._

Chapter Six

;;;Hermione got ready nervously. She had been working with the Ministry for a week now, and

Harry and Ginny were finally taking her out on a mission. A very small mission, true, but for the

first time she would be able to test herself in a real world Auror situation.

;;;She had smoothed her think hair back into a bun after washing her face carefully. She

muttered a spell to rid her robes of wrinkles, and slipped them on. Her feet were covered in

cheap black joggers, as she figured on walking quite a bit today. Waving her wand at the

kitchenette, she started boiling water for oatmeal.

;;;After eating, Hermione began the long walk to the ministry, making a mental note to go and

have her Apparating test soon.

;;;;;;------;;;;;;

;;;"Okay Hermione, this is a simple mission. The wizard inside this house may be practicing Dark

Magic. We need to get inside his house and find evidence that he is," Harry said quietly. He,

Hermione, and Ginny sat on a bench across the street from a large Victorian. Ginny sat filing her

nails nonchalantly, and Harry had his face buried in the Daily Prophet. Hermione sat, crossing

and uncrossing her legs nervously as she flipped through the latest Witch Weekly.

;;;Finally, Harry looked at Ginner and nodded, "He's left the building."

;;;Hermione watched a portly wizard in black robes bustling down the walk, muttering something

to himself.

;;;;;;------;;;;;;

;;;Hermione looked curiously at the strangle objects all around her. The man's house resembled

Dumbledore's office, only larger and more cluttered. She shifted from one foot to the other. It

had been almost an hour, and she had done almost nothing but watch Harry and Ginny mutter

spells and poke through the wizard's possessions. Grinding her teeth, Hermione cursed the Dark

Lord, who had kept her from being able to train for a job with her friends. For not the first time

in the past few years, Hermione Granger felt utterly incompetent. Of course, thanks to

Dumbledore, she had graduated Hogwarts and kept up her studies, butit was impossible for her

to train to be an Auror "_Or anything else for that matter_" she thought dryly.

;;;A small, floating ball, hovering over a misty pool of liquid caught her attention. As she stepped

towards it, it began to spin faster and emit a tiny buzz. Entranced, she stepped closer and the

spinning increased, as did the buzz. Feeling compelled to touch the glimmering orb, she reached

her hand out, not noticing the room beginning to vibrate, or the sharp _crack_ of a wizard

apparating into the room until a beefy hand clamped down on her shoulder and spun her around.

Hermione's eyes widened, and she screamed at the sight of the portly wizard glowering

menacingly at her. Harry looked over at her scream, and grabbed Ginny.

;;;"Gin, get her out of here, now!" he whispered urgently.

;;;Ginny quickly turned her shoe into a portkey, grabbing Hermione's hair as she felt the familiar

tug just below her navel.


End file.
